Apple makes artificial sweat to test the Apple Watch so it doesn’t irritate the skin

Apple makes its own artificial sweat in order to test products like the Apple Watch that come in contact with the skin, the company revealed in a report on Thursday.

Electronic products contain some materials that some people are allergic to such as nickel, which is commonly found in alloys like stainless steel. On the Apple Watch and other wearables, the company tests how quickly nickel transfers from metal parts of the device into sweat.

Beck Diefenbach | Reuters

Apple Inc. COO Jeff Williams discusses the Apple Watch Series 2 during an Apple media event in San Francisco, California, U.S. September 7, 2016.

To do this, Apple puts Apple Watch straps inside a jar containing artificial sweat it has made and simulates human body temperature. Its analysts then monitor the samples "to ensure that nickel and other allergens and irritants stay where they belong", the company said in its annual Environmental Responsibility Report.

The U.S. technology giant also tests other products that come in contact with the human body.

"We analyze materials that someone might put in their mouth—like an Apple Pencil you might chew on while considering the next line in your drawing—to make sure they're safe," the report said.

Apple did not say how it does this or whether it makes artificial saliva to test it.

"We also evaluate products after they've undergone extensive reliability testing to ensure that they remain safe for our customers, even after years of use and exposure to different environmental conditions," the company added.